Channel letters

ABSTRACT

A channel letter comprising a light source and sign board with said channel letter surround on the edges with a flexible material with said flexible material containg said light source with a reflective material on one side of said channel letter, said sign board attaches said channel letter with studs, and electrical wiring joins said channel letters.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is claiming the benefit and filing date of theprovisional application with the application number 60/313,093

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

[0002] Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] This invention relates to illuminated channel letters.

BACKROUND Background

[0005] In public places and buildings, numbers shapes and characters areused to advertise or display the name of a company or a product orservice. Those characters are bulky, thick, and hollow. To illuminatethose characters, fluorescent lamps are placed inside the letters. Thelight from the lamps is projected out and illuminates a translucentplastic in the shape of the letter. The installation of these letters isdifficult, and significant construction and installation is required,since power has to be taken to a remote location. Also the illuminationof the letters uses a lot of power, especially when large messages ornames are displayed. The type of lamps used, also requires ongoingmaintenance.

[0006] In Highways and streets guide signs are installed. These signsare large, supported by large structures. To make the signs visible atnight, powerful lights are placed in front and projected towards thesigns. The message displayed in the signs, are made of a reflectivevinyl and glued to the signboard. The lighting required is intensive andconsumes a lot of power. Installation is difficult since power has to bebrought to remote locations.

SUMMARY

[0007] It is the object of this invention to provide for channel lettersthat uses light emitting diodes as a source of light. The light from thelight emitting diodes is projected through the edge of the letterscharacters and shapes. This will eliminate the use of heavy thickletters illuminated from the back. These letters are light and easy toinstall, also will consume a fraction of the power currently used by theexisting channel letters, because they are efficiently illuminated fromthe edge of the letters. Since, the power used is low, batteries and orsolar power systems can be used. The batteries and solar systems will beattached next to the channel letters.

DRAWINGS—FIGURES

[0008]FIG. 1-1. Represents a front view of a channel letter.

[0009]FIG. 1-2 Represents a cut section of a channel letter.

[0010]FIG. 2-1 Represents a front view of channel letters linkedtogether to form a name.

[0011]FIG. 2-2 Represents a cut section of a channel letter, with thevarious components.

[0012]FIG. 2-3 Represents a sectional view of a channel letter attachedto a highway sign.

[0013]FIG. 2-4 Represents a front view of a highway sign with channelletters attached to form a mane.

[0014]FIG. 3-1 Represents an acrylic panel used for channel letters.

[0015]FIG. 3-2 Represents a section of a prismatic pattern printed onone side of the acrylic panel.

[0016]FIG. 3-3 Represents a view of the acrylic panel, with a reflectivematerial attached to the area that contains the printed prismaticpattern.

[0017]FIG. 3-4 Represents an acrylic panel with an alternate and moreefficient syten of reflection. One side of the panel is indented.

[0018]FIG. 3-5 Represents a double-sided panel with the indentationsystem of reflection.

[0019]FIG. 4-1 Represents a front view of a stop sign with edge lightingsystem.

[0020]FIG. 4-2 Represents a cut section view of a stop sign.

[0021]FIG. 5-1 Represents a front view of an arrow with edge lightingsystem.

[0022]FIG. 5-2 Represents a cut section view of an arrow.

[0023]FIG. 6-1 Represents a front view of a panel used for barricades,using the edge lighting system.

[0024]FIG. 6-2 Represents a cut section of a panel used for barricades.DRAWINGS-Reference Numerals  1. flexible channel  2. light emittingdiodes  3. panel  4. reflective film  5. back panel  6. back support  7.studs  8. wiring  9. panel indentations 10. coating

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] A special flexible extruded channel (1) made out of plastic ornonconducting surrounds around the acrylic letter (3). The channel (1)contains light emitting diodes LED's (2). These light emitting diodes(2) projects light through the acrylic letter panel (3) and is reflectedout, as shown in FIG. 1-2.

[0026] These light emitting diodes (2) are strategically placed insidethe channel (1) as shown in FIG. 2-2. The light from the light emittingdiodes (2) projects in various angles inside the acrylic letter and oncethe light hits the reflective film (4) it bounces outside of the panel.

[0027] The letter has also a back support (6) made out of plastic ormetal, to add strength and permit the installation of letters to anysurface.

[0028] Each letter is connected by electrical wiring (8) as shown inFIG. 2-1. Once all the letters and characters are connected, it willlook like the sign FIG. 2-4.

[0029] The channel letters or characters are attached to the front of asign as shown in FIG. 2-3. The back support (6) has threaded studs (7)attached to the back support (6). These treaded studs (7) are insertedthrough the sign and fastened with nuts.

[0030] The acrylic letter (3) has a prismatic pattern printed on theback as shown in FIG. 3-1 and the light that passes through theprismatic pattern area is reflected when it hits a reflective film (4).This reflective film (4) is positioned behind the printed area.

[0031] A more efficient system to reflect the light can be used. asshown in FIGS. 3-4 and 3-5. Using an acrylic panel with indentations onone side (9) and applying a special reflective paint to the indentedside (10) we can increase the amount of light reflected. Using thischannel letter system of illumination we can also apply to themanufacture of other shapes, such as stop signs, directional arrows andpanels for barricade systems, as shown in FIGS. 4-1, 4-2, 5-1, 5-2, 6-1,and 6-2.

1. An internally illuminated sign comprising at least one channelletter, sign board, and light source.
 2. An internally illuminated signaccording to claim 1 wherein said light source is at least one lightemitting diode.
 3. An internally illuminated sign according to claim 1wherein said channel letter is translucent.
 4. An internally illuminatedsign according to claim 1 wherein said channel letters are attached tosaid sign board.
 5. An internally illuminated sign according to claim 1wherein said sign board is made of plastic or metal.
 6. An internallyilluminated sign according to claim 5 further comprises threaded studs.7. An internally illuminated sign according to claim 6 where saidchannel letters are attached to said sign board by threaded studs.
 8. Aninternally illuminated sign according to claim 1 wherein said channelletters are joined by at least one electrical wire.
 9. An internallyilluminated sign according to claim 1 wherein said at least one channelletter further include a reflective coating on one surface.
 10. Aninternally illuminated sign according to claim 9 wherein said reflectivecoating is an adhesive sheet or painted on deposit.
 11. An internallyilluminated sign according to claim 9 wherein said at least one channelletter further includes a plurality of perforations on the same side asthe said reflective coating.
 12. An internally illuminated signaccording to claim 1 wherein said channel letter edges are surrounded byflexible extruded channel.
 13. An internally illuminated sign accordingto claim 12 wherein said flexible extruded channel comprises plastic ornon-conductive flexible material.
 14. An internally illuminated signcomprising: at least one translucent channel letter having at least onelight emitting diode within said at least one channel letter; a signboard, said sign board including threaded studs positioned to attachsaid at least one translucent channel letter to said sign board; and atleast one electrical wire conjoins said channel letter.